Safety stanchions are used to selectively hold and release animals such as cattle during a variety of activities. Such stanchions are typically found in feed lots, ranching operations, dairies and virtually any other activity where animals such as cattle are tended. For example, in the dairy industry stanchions are used to hold and selectively release cows during activities such as feeding, milking, veterinary care, pregnancy testing and even calving.
Stanchions typically have several common characteristics. First, they are usually assembled in long strings of individual stanchions connected between top and bottom rails and set in concrete. Commonly, a stanchion is used in conjunction with a feed bunker, and the stanchion is utilized to hold the head of the cow in the desired position and location with the bunker.
In the typical prior art cattle stanchion, the head opening for the animal is usually defined between a stationary, vertically-oriented rail and a pivotal release rail. This pivotal release rail, when tilted in one direction, enlarges the upper part of the opening so that the animal can put its head through the opening. As the animal lowers its head to reach the feed, the pivotal release rail pivots to a more vertical position, where it automatically latches in place to assume the closed position. In the closed position, the animal cannot withdraw its head from the stanchion and is effectively held in place. In some instances, when the animals fall down, become distressed or are knocked down by an adjacent animal, this pivoting stanchion can be individually released to what is called a “downed cow” position by releasing a latch and allowing the release stanchion portion to pivot in the opposite direction to enlarge the opening in the lower portion of the head opening. This enables the downed animal to be able to remove its head from its position within the stanchion.
Individual stanchions may be arranged in various configurations for various reasons. Long strings of these stanchions may be linearly arranged with a control means on one end which allows the stanchions to be selectively locked and released from a singular location. Arranging these stanchions in long strings allows for more equal animal access to the feed bunker for equal portion sizing, holding the animals close together where they are most comfortable since they are instinctually herd animals, as well as to immobilize a group of animals for veterinary care such as dehorning, vaccinating, pregnancy testing and a host of other types of uses.
Control of the latch mechanisms in such an arrangement has traditionally been accomplished by means of a control rod, which is mounted atop the top rail. These control rods contain one of two cooperating parts of a latch mechanism of the release stanchion, with the other cooperating part of the latch mechanism attached to the top of the pivotal release stanchion. This configuration typically allows for the arrangement of the device into four types of positions. A locked open position where the release stanchion is positioned so as to enable an animal to insert its head and then lower its head, swinging the release stanchion out of the way as it reaches for feed. When the animal wishes to exit the stanchion it may do so by raising its head, moving the swinging portion of the stanchion open and then removing its head from the device. An open to automatic closed position when the animal lowers its head the release stanchion locks in place in the closed position to automatically lock the animal in the stanchion. A manually operable downed cow position wherein the rancher or dairyman can release an individual animal that has fallen down by manually pivoting the release stanchion to the downed cow position. A locked closed position to lock all of the stanchions in a closed position to either keep the animals from inserting their heads through the stanchions, or to keep all of the animals contained within the stanchions.
The problem in the prior art is that since these devices must be stoutly built to restrain the animals, strings of cattle stanchions are fabricated of metal, usually steel, and such materials expand and contract significantly with changes in temperature. Since these continuous strings of cattle stanchions can literally include hundreds of stanchions, all in one continuous row, the amount of expansion and contraction is amplified and can be considerable. This expansion and contraction of the control rod can cause the latching mechanisms of the stanchions to be offset from their interconnection points with the control rod. As a result, the control rod will align with the stanchion couplers at one end of the device but not at the other. When this occurs various manual adjustments must be made to the control mechanisms so as to ensure that proper operation. However, as the temperature changes these changes must be made again. In locations such as a desert clime where cold temperatures at night and hot temperatures in the day are common, such devices can require realignment even within the same day. Without such accommodation the stanchions will not lock and unlock as a group and must therefore be manually and individually locked and released. This takes a considerable amount of time as a person must walk to all of the potentially hundreds of stanchions and lock or unlock the stanchion gates. Furthermore, such an activity can be time consuming as the cattle may panic when approached by a human and move out of the stanchion.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system for locking cattle stanchions that eliminates the current need to adjust the length of the control arm of a cattle stanchion so as to require the constant realignment of cooperating coupler portions of the latching mechanism with a control rod. Another object of the present invention is to provide a latching mechanism which is simple, effective and safe for the operator.
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will be set forth in the summary of the invention which follows as well as the drawings and detailed description of the embodiment which is attached herewith. This description is not intended to be limiting in any way but merely illustrative of one embodiment of the invention set forth in the claims included herewith.